The present invention relates to programmable current sources, and more particularly, to programmable current sources having a high output into a low load impedance from a low voltage power supply.
In applications such as oceanography, the problem encountered is that the waters of the ocean, having significant amounts of sodium chloride and other ion producing compounds, present a very low impedance of the order of 1/2 ohm resistance. Accordingly, it is difficult to drive high currents into such a low resistance in such oceanographic applications, especially when such apparatus is portable and powered by batteries having limited voltage capacity, such as 6 volts. Prior art devices are very limited in this respect.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide apparatus for driving high amperage peak to peak current in to a low impedance load from a low voltage power supply with minimum losses and voltage drop.